The daily demands of work keep project managers firmly grounded in the present. But visionaries must also keep an eye toward the future as they try to anticipate challenges and minimize risks. That's no easy task, considering the economic uncertainty that still looms in most corners of the world.
Although the recession shows signs of abating, the degree of economic uptick varies widely among regions. China's economy, for instance, should expand nearly 10 percent this year, according to a forecast by the International Monetary Fund. Meanwhile, annual economic growth for the European Union is estimated at 1.5 percent-and the United States isn't expected to fare much better, at 2.6 percent.
That economic backdrop sets the stage for what's next for the project management profession. With the uneven recovery among different countries, organizations with a flexible mindset will fare best when facing the unexpected. Within project management, that adaptability will manifest itself in a number of ways. For starters, project managers will have to adjust to new priorities for energy efficiency as organizations increasingly rely on sustainability to reduce costs and business risks. As work force demographics shift-including more part-time team members-project professionals will lean heavily on people skills that bolster effective collaboration.
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